Stillman defends SIAC baseball title

Published: Sunday, April 28, 2013 at 3:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, April 27, 2013 at 11:26 p.m.

OZARK | Stillman College won the SIAC Baseball Tournament for the sixth time in seven years after defeating Tuskegee University 12-6 on Saturday.

The Tigers (30-14) scored six runs in the fourth inning and negated a comeback attempt by Tuskegee by adding another six runs in the final innings. Fernando Tanaka finished with three hits, three RBIs, including a solo home run, to lead Stillman.

Tyler Vails came on in relief, pitching three innings to pick up the win. Tanaka faced four Tuskegee batters to pick up the save.

Tanaka was named Most Valuable Player of the tournament and was named to the All-Tournament team along with pitchers Vails and Kyle McNorton.

Tuskegee, making its first appearance in the SIAC championship game since winning its last tournament in 1989, left 15 men on base, including ending two innings with the bases loaded.

The game went scoreless until the fourth inning when Kyle Smith’s triple gave Stillman its first hit of the game. Kameron McCreless was hit by a pitch, followed by Nick Baldeli-Boggs’s two-run double, giving Stillman a 2-0 lead. With runners on first and second, Ken Perky, in his first at-bat of the tournament, hit a three-run home run. On the next pitch, Tanaka hit a solo home run to give the Tigers a 6-0 lead.

Stillman advances to the NCAA South Regional Tournament beginning May 16. The location has not been announced.

<p>OZARK | Stillman College won the SIAC Baseball Tournament for the sixth time in seven years after defeating Tuskegee University 12-6 on Saturday.</p><p>The Tigers (30-14) scored six runs in the fourth inning and negated a comeback attempt by Tuskegee by adding another six runs in the final innings. Fernando Tanaka finished with three hits, three RBIs, including a solo home run, to lead Stillman. </p><p>Tyler Vails came on in relief, pitching three innings to pick up the win. Tanaka faced four Tuskegee batters to pick up the save.</p><p>Tanaka was named Most Valuable Player of the tournament and was named to the All-Tournament team along with pitchers Vails and Kyle McNorton.</p><p>Tuskegee, making its first appearance in the SIAC championship game since winning its last tournament in 1989, left 15 men on base, including ending two innings with the bases loaded.</p><p>The game went scoreless until the fourth inning when Kyle Smith's triple gave Stillman its first hit of the game. Kameron McCreless was hit by a pitch, followed by Nick Baldeli-Boggs's two-run double, giving Stillman a 2-0 lead. With runners on first and second, Ken Perky, in his first at-bat of the tournament, hit a three-run home run. On the next pitch, Tanaka hit a solo home run to give the Tigers a 6-0 lead.</p><p>Stillman advances to the NCAA South Regional Tournament beginning May 16. The location has not been announced.</p>